House Shelton of the Seavault
House Shelton is one of the largest housest of Gideon and rulers of the Seavault, a beachside merchant and banking city. They are not as old as some of the other houses, but what they lack in nobility they make up for in incredibly wealth. The Seavault can't compete with Day's End for diversity of resources, but they have more novelty than any trading post in Gideon. ---- History House Shelton was established during Erik's Expansion, when Erik's young court treasurer secured diplomatic relations with the gold dwarves of Belcral to trade gold for the dwarves mined resources. After the deal was struck, Erik appointed the steward incharge of setting up a trading post to manage the relationship. The merchant took the surname Shelton and the house was born. The large abundance of cheap dwarven ore pouring in from the mountains gives House Shelton an economic advantage over the rest of the realm. The deal Erik Brighton negotiated gives them access to gems, armor, weapons, and labor. Over the yeras, this has led to the Seavault has become known for three things: lavish beaches, trade (both through the outspost and their ships), and security. Due to their abundance of wealth, they have developed an expertise in the way of protecting precious cargo. Often they even employ dwarves who wish to see the surface to act as mercenaries and guard their ships. Shipping by wagon is considerably more costly than shipping by sea. Through this system, they have managed to take control of almost all trade in the country. Politically, House Shelton is not known for their warriors. Though they do have some of the best security in the realm, they seldom lend their merceneries out to political causes. Their role in conflict mostly involves funding and supply, which they are masters of. Their resources are invaluable to the realm; and any country, no matter how big, would struggle from an embargo from the Seavault. Though no one could question their loyalty, this focus on finances causes them to often support whichever policy would make them more profitable. The power they weild over Gideon through their financial power has been growing, much to the dismay of other houses. Where House Byron and House Thorne have to rely on the blood of their knights to grant them influence, House Shelton relies on something much more practical... money. The taxes levied by their holds and industries contribute 35% to the royal budget. In this way, they are much better at the political game, navigating the field with much more guile than is typically seen in the humble country of Gideon. In addition, the Seavault is the largest religious center for Melora on the continent. House Shelton attributes much of their success to the Goddess of the Sea. Younger sibling who don't stand to inherit nobility often volunteer to become clergyman. ---- Houses Sworn to House Shelton: House Bounds of Simple Point House Shelton of Portsmouth House Royer of Stonybrooke House Swann of Misty Lake